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In Ayurveda, nutrition and food is the foremost thing used in therapies and treatments. Those are like simple edible things with huge benefits. Today we will be talking about 10 food items with their Ayurvedic properties.
Herbology; which is a branch in Ayurveda says that- Food is something, whose capabilities and functions are still unknown to us. It means, it has a long diversity of benefits which are just miraculous.
In medicinal term, if the food substance used in right way acts as a nectar; similarly if the herb is wrongly used it can lead to huge detoriation. It is very important to know, whether the product is suitable for the body type or not.
To understand the post, you may need to tackle some keywords, which are simplified below.
V= Vata
P- Pitta
K= Kapha
Let us begin with these 10 edible items, with their properties and other features.
5 Foods with their Ayurvedic/Herbology significances
1. Sweet Corn–
Energetics– Sweet/hot/sweet K- VP+ in excess
Action– Diuretic
Indications: Edema, kidney and gallstones, jaundice (corn silk), spleen absorption, liver
Contraindictions: Corn chips, VP+ (blue corn is colder and better for P)
2. Legumes-
Energetics– Sweet, astringent/neutral/sweet
PK- V+ (except mung, soy). All beans are rajasic- causing gas and irritating body, mind, senses and emotions. Mung beans and tofu are the only two exceptions. The mung bean is the only sattwic bean.
Indications– Energy for strenuous work
Element– Earth mostly, and air; heavy and dry thus hard to digest.
Nutrition– Protein, iron, B vitamins, trace minerals; as a crop they nourish the soil instead of robbing it and absorb more than 100 pounds of nitrogen from the atmosphere on yearly basis.
3. Peanuts-
Energetics– Sweet, astringent/hot/sweet K- VP+
Action– Oily and often classified as a nut
Indications– Strengthening, protein, use raw and cooked (not roasted), add honey or cane sugar
Contraindictions– Dry roasted V+, peanut butter is hard to digest K+
4. Dairy–
Dairy is most beneficial when raw, from animals that roam freely and not interfered, those who receive no sterid injetions or chemicals in their foods.
Energetics– Sweet/cool/sweet VP- K+. Builds all seven tissues-especially increase plasma, fat, reproductive
Indications– Calms the mind, nerves and emotions. It is good for meditation and yoga; emaciation, debility, convalescence, wasting, bleeding, sexual debility
Contraindictions– Heavy, damp, sticky; increases mucus. Raw and organic dairy products from healthy, happy cows are best
5. Tea–
Energetics– Bitter, sweet, astringent/cool/pungent PK- V+
Contraindications– Refined teas may be artificial and damaging, excess causes insomnia, dry mouth and thirst, overly brewed causes constipation
Indications– Taken with milk and spices like ginger and cinnamon, is less aggravating to Vata.
It should be best taken after meals, as astringent tastes are digested last
So, in this way we saw the classification and some important features of food items. It is very essential to know, for a better health and life. Hope you like the article, share as much as you can. Take care and live well!
